About Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art
Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art was established in November 2012 after renovating the West Wing of the Oji Branch of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (formerly the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, designed by Togo Murano). The museum specializes in the works of YOKOO Tadanori, storing, exhibiting, researching, and studying his art, and presenting the appeal of Yokoo's art, which is highly acclaimed around the world.
The museum holds a variety of special exhibitions that convey the appeal of contemporary art through YOKOO Tadanori's unique expression and point of view. In 2021, the YOKOO Tadanori Collection Gallery was newly established, allowing visitors to view works and a wide variety of materials from Yokoo's personal collection. The open studio also hosts workshops, concerts, public productions, and other participatory events, allowing visitors to enjoy a variety of experiences.
About YOKOO Tadanori
YOKOO Tadanori is a world-renowned contemporary artist born in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture in 1936, who began his career as a graphic designer and illustrator in 1956, and from the 1960s to the 1970s created posters for underground theaters such as the Jokyo Gekijo (Situation Theatre) and the Ceiling Plank Theater. In 1969, he won the Grand Prix at the 6th Biennale des Youth Prints in Paris. Since then, he has been active internationally, holding solo exhibitions in New York and participating in biennales in Paris, São Paulo, Venetia, and elsewhere.
In the 1980s, he was so struck by Picasso's work while viewing it that he declared his intention to move from being a graphic designer to becoming a painter ("Painter Manifesto"). Since then, he has painted a diverse range of subjects, including waterfalls, myths, spiritual worlds, the Y-shaped road in his hometown (the "Dark Night Light Road" series), and portraits of famous people. One of the important themes in Tadanori Yokoo's work is death. This background is greatly influenced by his childhood experiences of war and air raids, which are strongly projected in his strong colors and worldview.
He was inducted into the New York ADC Hall of Fame in 2000, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2011, and was elected a member of the Japan Art Academy and a Person of Cultural Merit in 2023, among many other achievements to date. He continues to be at the forefront of creative endeavors, with frequent large-scale exhibitions in Japan and abroad, and in 2023, at the age of 87, he will present 102 new works of art.
Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art Access & Visitor Information
Address | 3-8-30 Haradadori, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (Oji Branch, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art) |
Tel | 078-855-5607 |
Access from the nearest station |
|
Opening hours | 10:00 - 18:00 (admission until 17:30) |
Closed | Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), exhibition replacement periods, year-end and New Year holidays, and maintenance closures (irregular holidays) |
Admission |
*Group discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. *Tickets for the special exhibition are required for the collection exhibition. *High school students and younger are admitted free of charge. *People with disabilities (holders of a physical disability certificate, mental disability certificate, or rehabilitation certificate) receive a 75% discount from each admission fee (general admission fee for those aged 70 and over). One accompanying person for per person with disabilities is free of charge. |
Facilities | Parking, wheelchair and stroller rental, elevator, restrooms (barrier-free and ostomate-friendly), nursing room, AED, coin lockers (100 yen returnable), cafe, restaurant, museum store |
Note | Guide dogs and other assistance dogs for the physically disadvantaged visitors are allowed to enter the museum. |
Official Website |
Highlights of Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art
Collections
The YOKOO Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art has a collection of more than 3,000 works, including paintings, prints, posters, and book designs donated or deposited by Yokoo himself. The museum's representative "Y-junction" series and other works that can only be seen here are all on display. The exhibition, composed from a unique perspective, has gained popularity as a luxurious opportunity to directly experience YOKOO's art.
Architecture of buildings
Its predecessor, the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, was built in 1970 as a project commemorating the 100th anniversary of the prefectural government, and was designed by the leading Japanese architect MURANO Togo. The west wing, now used as the YOKOO Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art, opened in 1982. The building has a pure white exterior, with the second floor raised by distinctive columns. Although the West Wing was renovated after the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and renewed for the opening of the YOKOO Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art, most of the architectural part designed by MURANO Togo has been retained.
Representative Past Exhibits
The exhibitions at the YOKOO Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art are characterized not only by standard exhibits in which each work completes the viewing experience, but also by unique compositions that offer unique perspectives, as if peering inside YOKOO Tadanori's head. For example, the " YOKOO Tadanori's House of Fear," held in 2021, was staged in a variety of ways, including darkening the interior of the venue to induce the viewer to "want to see it, even though it is scary". The special exhibition, which can be enjoyed with YOKOO Tadanori's point of view as well, delivers new discoveries every time.
< Main Exhibitions >
"YOKOO Tadanori: Portrait Book" (2013)
"YOKOO Tadanori Exhibition: My Pop and War" (2016)
"YOKOO Tadanori's House of Horrors" (2021)
" Mr. YOKOO's Palette" (2022)
"YOKOO in Wonderland - Tadanori Yokoo's Wonderland" (2023)
Museum Shop
At the museum store on the first floor of the facility, visitors can purchase colorful and fun original goods by YOKOO Tadanori. A wide range of products, from pouches and stationery to apparel, are available.
Opening hours | 10:00 - 18:00 (admission until 17:30) |
Closed | Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), exhibition change periods, year-end and New Year holidays, and maintenance closures |
Tel | 078-855-5607 |
Café and Restaurant Information
The museum is home to the "Vegetables, Curry, and Coffee Shop Pandacafe". It is an open space with all-glass walls, and terrace seating is available on fine days. The menu includes sandwiches, curry, pasta, and other vegetable-filled dishes.
When dining, pay attention to the tableware. The tableware is designed by YOKOO Tadanori, and if you find something you like, you can purchase it at the museum store.
Pandacafe
Tel | 078-855-7808 |
Opening hours | 11:30-17:00 *Opening hours are subject to change. Please inquire directly for details. |
Closed | Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays, during maintenance (irregular) *Same as the closing days, some irregular holidays |
Recommendations around Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art
The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art is the largest art museum in western Japan. It was established in 2002 as a symbol of "cultural revival" in Kobe, which experienced the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The museum has a collection of over 10,000 works of art, mainly modern sculpture, modern prints, art related to the hometown, and contemporary art.
The magnificent architecture designed by ANDO Tadao is also a highlight. The contrast created by the ocean breezes and warm sunlight makes the museum itself feel like a work of art.
The museum is in an excellent location, right in front of the ocean, and has a café, restaurant, and museum store, so visitors can take a relaxing break between art viewings.
YANOBE Kenji《Sun Sister “NAGISA”》
YANOBE Kenji《Sun Sister》2015
"Sun Sister" is a representative work by YANOBE Kenji, a contemporary artist known for his giant sculptures, created in 2015 as a monument to the 20-year recovery from the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It is a large 6.3-meter sculpture with a strong presence, as is typical of YANOBE's work. She was named "Nagisa" after a contest among the general public, including local children. The work is popular for its cute visuals and has a strong impact, but knowing the background of its creation may change the way you view it.
It is located in front of the grand staircase of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, in a beautiful location overlooking the sea, and is a popular photo spot. When you visit the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, please be sure to view "Sun Sister" as well.
BB Plaza Museum of Art
The BB Plaza Museum of Art was established in 2009 on the second floor of BB Plaza, a commercial facility. With the concept of "art in daily life," the museum aims to be open to the public in order to allow as many people as possible to become familiar with each of its works.